I think that it couldn’t be more important to give back to our communities. If more of us shared more, the world would be a happier place. I love the happiness that I get from giving to others, and I know that if more of us gave back, everyone would enjoy the same feeling of worth.

The good news is that charitable giving in the USA has now reached around $300 billion, and even better, there’s no need to be rich to make a big difference in your community. Just a dollar given to charity can make our world a much better place. In fact, you don’t even need to give any money at all – time is equally as precious. Over 50% of people who volunteer do so because they love feeling useful and want to help others. Not only does it make you feel great about yourself, helping others is really good for improving your health.

Volunteering also increases your self-esteem, makes you feel empowered and can even stimulate endorphin release which boosts the immune system and improves the nervous system. Some people even get a “high” when they volunteer – similar to that experienced when exercising. It may even be able to fight depression and anxiety as knowing that you are making a difference to others can help to make the problems you are experiencing seem more manageable. People who have a wider social circle have a longer lifespan, and volunteering is a great way of building up your social life, improving your physical health and boost your emotional well-being at the same time.

Learning new skills – some of the additional benefits of volunteering is the ability to gain new skills, new expertise and greater knowledge. You will find more challenging and interesting opportunities to add to your resume and you may even find it can help you to get a better job.

Social connections – boredom and loneliness are surprisingly common problems among all elements of society, from students to retirees, but volunteering helps to relieve that social isolation and to broaden horizons.

Helping your own community – all of us take something from society, so volunteering is a great way of showing our appreciation.

Growing and developing – volunteering is one of the best ways to find out what you like and dislike. For example, if there is a new career that you are interested in, volunteering in that field can help you to find out if you like it or not.

New perspectives – if you’re feeling down and depressed, your problems may seem to be insurmountable. However, volunteering offers a fresh viewpoint as you see people who have a worse life than you, and it can give you a fresh perspective on your own life.

Knowing you’re needed – feeling appreciated is very important for all of us, and many of us fail to get that feeling of being needed from our home life or paid employment. When volunteering, you often realize that you really are needed and that others depend on you.

Self-esteem boost – lots of volunteers get a boost to their self-worth and self-esteem when volunteering as helping other people makes you feel good.

Teachers have a pretty hard job – after all, it can’t be easy dealing with kids all day long! I’ve had enough of mine after every weekend!

All joking aside, some of my friends are teachers, and although they love their work, they often complain about some of the things that they have to deal with. Interestingly, although badly behaved children do feature on the list, some of the things that they complain about are a bit surprising. For example, back pain. I never really thought of back pain being something that teachers would have to deal with, but apparently, it’s surprisingly common, especially among my friends who teach elementary school as they have to bend down a lot to talk to the smaller children.

Also, quite frequently, they have no proper chair in their classrooms to use, and so often end up sitting on one of the children’s chairs. While that’s fine for those who teach older year groups, for some of my friends who teach kindergarten and the lower grades, it’s no wonder that they end up with a back problem!

I’ve decided that I want to help teachers to resolve this problem, and so I’ve decided to donate some good quality chairs to our local school so that the teachers can have more comfortable classrooms and can get more done. After all, you can’t be very productive when you’re in pain all day!

Although this isn’t an especially cheap office chair, it is one of the top rated executive chairs on the market for lower back pain. With lots of impressive features, it’s possible to adjust this chair to achieve complete comfort and with its traditional design, it works well in any school environment. Although it has a streamlined and classic-looking shape, it comes with plenty of ergonomically designed features including a firm lumbar support which is adjustable to fit the user perfectly.

The high back supports the shoulders well, and as the back also has a range of motion, it adjusts to contour to the back throughout the working day. The foam cushioning is flexible and yet breathable to avoid sweating and excess heat, and the tilt settings can be adjusted in a unique way to ensure that you won’t strain your neck and eyes when using a computer. The infinitely adjustable armrests ensure better comfort, and this chair also rotates a full 360degrees and can go up and down thanks to pneumatics. There are even several colors to pick from. On the downside, there is a short warranty period, and the build quality isn’t especially sturdy.

Herman Miller Aeron

This iconic chair is innovative and pioneering. Combining traditional aesthetics with a professional look, this modern chair is packed with features including a fully adjustable lumbar support, a pellicle mesh suspension and infinite adjustments. This award-winning chair received the Design of the Decade award during the 1990s, which is hardly surprising considering that the seat depth, the height, the back support, the tilt and the armrests can all be adjusted. This chair comes in three sizes, which is great since it’s possible to get one to match each user to minimize back pain.

With a waterfall edge, this chair maintains optimal blood flow to the legs, while the lumbar attachment supports the lower back well. Thanks to the pellicle mesh suspension to the back and seat of the chair, the body remains well supported while relieving tension and dissipating heat for less sweat. This very sturdy chair is USA made and is constructed from high-quality materials including solid aluminum and real leather.

Durable and long-lasting, this model is also protected by a long 12-year manufacturer’s warranty, and for those who are worried about their carbon footprint, this chair is also a great choice since it is made in an eco-friendly factory. There are several weaves, trim options and colors to pick from and there are even customizable castors to suit the needs of different flooring types. On the downside, this chair is costly.

I’m still trying to decide which chair to buy, but when I do, I’m sure the teachers will be delighted!

Our schools have a key role to play in all of our lives. After all, where would any of us be without education?

As a parent, we are our child’s first teacher and first introduction to the world. However, once they are ready to go to school, it’s time to allow them to broaden their horizons and to allow others to help them to become the confident and smart adults that they will one day be. Although many of us believe that schools are all about academic achievement, in fact, that is just the tip of the iceberg. Teachers influence children in so many ways, by encouraging interactions and boost their social and emotional development.

Our community’s teachers are vital to our children’s development and success in life and I believe that we should all be helping our educational professionals to do their job by ensuring that they have all of the tools they need to get the job done, whether that be the textbooks that they need to teach the latest subjects or whether it be something as simple as sitting in a comfortable chair to allow for better concentration and focus.

Academic Potential

Of course, the primary role of a school is to help every student to reach their maximum academic potential, however, that isn’t just down to the basics like numeracy and literacy. Children need to solve problems and seek for solutions if they want to be successful in their professional and personal life. Perseverance is also essential as a life skill, ensuring that children will not give up, no matter what, and even if they fail they will pick themselves up and start again.

Social Skills

While academic brilliance is important, poor social skills are the death knell of any career. Schools have a key role in aiding children to learn how to interact well with teachers and their peer group, both inside the classroom and in the playground too. If social and emotional development are ignored during childhood, adults may be academically gifted, however, they may struggle to communicate with others and may have poor self-esteem. Being able to connect with other people in an empathetic and caring way is essential to long-term success.

Character Building

As well as academic achievement and social abilities, having a good character is very important too. In the same way that schools teach arithmetic, writing and reading, schools also help children to learn integrity, empathy, respect and compassion. Being able to wait your turn to speak, being able to discuss issues without arguing or fighting and by having a good understanding of their own values and morals will ensure that the child grows to become a well-rounded person.

Broadened Horizons

Schools introduce children to many opportunities. From an early age, through exposure to a range of traditions, cultures and nationalities, children shape their views of their environment while projects and field trips allow children to experience and try different things. Extracurricular activities broaden horizons further, helping children to enjoy a range of sports and other opportunities like cheerleading, working with younger year groups, being a class president, or trying acting or music. These experiences help to make young people fully rounded.